Repair sleeve for damaged wires and cables



Sept. 1, 1936. J. B. WEBB REPAIR SLEEVE FOR DAMAGED WIRES AND CABLES Filed May 25, 1934 INVENTOR. cfaH/v .5. 71 555.

I ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES REPAIR SLEEVE FOR DAMAGED WIRES AND CABLES John B. Webb, Dobbs Ferry, N. Y., assignor to- Anaconda Wire & Cable Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application May 25, 1934, Serial No. 727,401

5 Claims. (01. -413) This invention relates to improvements in the and cables and involves fitting a split sleeve about the damaged portion of the wire or cable and subsequently subjecting the sleeve to a drawing action or mechanical working, whereby the cross sectional area of the sleeve is reduced and the length thereof materially increased.

It ls broadly old to join wires or cables by attaching a tubular connecting casing thereof and subjecting the casing to a pressure circumierentially and progressively along the tubular casing to produce a concurrent reduction in cross section and elongation thereof. Such old method is disclosed in Auspitzer' Patent 1,599,356 and suitable apparatus for subjecting the tubular casing to a drawing operation is also disclosed in Auspitzer Patent 1,599,357. My present invention is directed more specifically to improvements over the disclosures in the Auspitzer patents and has certain advantages thereover, which will appear hereinafter as the description proceeds.

The invention is exemplified in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a repair sleeve embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section on line 2-2 thereof; Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing the two component parts of the improved repair sleeve; Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a step in the method of positioning the sleeve about a damaged wire or cable;

Fig. 6 is a view in longitudinal section, diagrammatically illustrating a method of attaching the sleeve; Fig. 7 illustrates a length of wire or cable with my improved repair sleeve secured thereto. Referring inv detail to the drawing, the repair sleeve of my invention includes two component parts interlocked one with another and formed of material and shaped in such a way that the parts can be simultaneously subjected to a drawing'nperation so as to work the metal and elongate it in such a manner that the component The other member B has flat faces l and l2 and also inclined faces N and 20 and an intermediate circular face 22". As thus formed, the two component parts of the split sleeve can be interlocked with one another by sliding one on 5 the other longitudinally while the two have their portions 22 and 22 engaged with the wire or cable to be repaired. Thus, if a wire develops a weak spot due to abrasion or other causes, or if one or more strands of a multiple strand cable are fractured or broken, my improved split sleeve can be assembled over the weakened part of the wire or cable without the necessity of cutting the cable in two.

The intermediate portions 24 and 24 of the 15 members A and B are of reduced diameter, as compared with the outer portions 26, 28, 26 and 28 In repairing a damaged or broken cable, according to my improved method and by the use of my improved split repair sleeve, I assemble the portions A and Babout the fractured or weakened portions F in the stranded cable or wire and lit the die members 30 and 32 of a suitable draw bench about the portions 24 and 24 of reduced diameter and cause said die members 20 and 32 to move outwardly, as indicated by the arrows mm. 6, whereupon thedie members come'into engagement with the enlarged portions 26, 26 28 and 28 of the repair sleeve and their continued-movement subjects the metal to a drawing or working operation, whereby the component elements of the sleeve are simultaneously reduced in cross section and elongated, thus intimately securing tlwparts to one another and also .to the wire or cable being repaired.

.The drawing or working of the sleeve will cause the metal thereof to enter the interstices between the adjacent strands of a stranded cable and also to flll or partially flll the voids caused by the elimination or part elimination of strands. and the resulting joint will have a tensile strength at least equal to that of the wire or cable. .7 By making the repair sleeve in two parts, it will be appreciated that it is unnecessary to sever the ends of the wire and it is not required to thread separate ends into a tubular casing as wasih eretofore regarded desirable, as disclosed for eiampie in the Auspitzer patents referred to.

The parting line of the two duplicate complementary parts of the repair sleeve may be described as of zig-zag form. This zig-zag parting line provides a joint of a tongue and groove naturepwhich when the parts are assembled.

about the wire or cable prevents their separation in a'radial direction; They are thus selflocking. The particular form of dovetailed joint in, which the inclined portions are substantially parallel is advantageous because it enables me to form the two part sleeve of two parts 'of iden= tical size and shape. This permits of manufacturing economies and avoids the neceaiiy or making rights and lefts. It is also a time saver because it avoids the necessity of mechanics in the field going to thebother or selecting mating parts, which of course would be required if the parts were dissimilar. v. V

The dove-tailedror undercut interlocked connection between the two sections or parts or the repair sleeve provides means whereby they can be united by a sliding motion in a direction longitudinally of the wire or cable and once the parts are thus assembled they cannot be displaced radially or transversely. This facilitates the subsequent drawing operation by means of which the parts are permanently secured to the wire or cable.

The repair sleeve sections are preferably made I oi. relatively ductile metal such as copper or the like, in order to facilitate the drawing action oi mechanical working whereby portions thereof oan'be readily caused to enter the interstices between the strands or to fill or partially fill in voids caused by broken or damaged strands of a multiple strand cable.

While I have described quite precisely certain steps in the method and certain specific details of thedesign of repair sleeve illustrated it is to be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:--

1. The method of repairing weakened wires or cables by applying sections of a split sleeve in the weakened zone of the wire or cable and subjecting said sleeves to a drawing operation to produce a concurrent reduction in cross section and elongation of said sleeve, whereby the sleeve and wire or cable are brought into intimate interengagement. a

2; In the repairing of damaged wires or cables,

the method which comprises interlocking sleeve elements about the weakened zone of the wire or cable and subjecting'said sleeve elements to a drawing operation to effect an intimate interement between the damaged wire or cable and said sleeve elements. i

3. A split sleeve for repairing damaged wires or cables comprising a pair of complementary sections adapted for sliding interlocking engagement with one another and each having, an intax-mediate portion'of relatively reduced diameter and adjacent outer portions of larger dieach side of the cylindrical surface joined by inclined surfaces, and outer portions offset outwardly from the part-cylindrical surfaces, said sections being adapted to be subjected to a drawing operation whereby they are intimately secured to the wire or cable and to each other.

5. A split sleeve for repairing damaged wire or cables comprising a pair of half sections adapted for'sliding interlocking engagement with one another, each having an intermediate portion of relatively reduced diameter and adjacent outer portions of enlarged diameter adapted to be subjected to a drawing action, said sections having substantially central wire engaging surfaces and having duplicate interlocking dove-tailed connection portions adapted to be intimately secured to the wire or cable and to each other by such drawing action.

- JOHN B. WEBB. 

